Overview
- Sheriff’s deputies discovered an unattended backpack in the caucus room on Thursday, prompting an immediate evacuation of City Hall and an emergency recess of City Council.
- Two Sheriff's/Police K9s alerted to the bag, which led police to call the bomb disposal unit and use X-ray equipment and a manual search to inspect the pack.
- After searches found no explosive device, authorities reopened City Hall shortly before 1 p.m. and City Council reconvened with no reported injuries.
- Police used City Hall video to identify the backpack’s owner, who was contacted and taken in for questioning; officials said no one was charged at this time.
- Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore said K9 alerts can reflect residue from items like firearms or fireworks, and the episode highlights how canine teams and surveillance preserve safety even when threats prove false.